The British Enlightenment: Foundations and Impact

Historical Context of the British Enlightenment

In the British Isles, a strong opposition existed between Puritans and Anglicans (who supported royal power). This period witnessed two significant revolutions:

• The English Revolution (1640-1660): King Charles I was executed, and Oliver Cromwell, a Puritan leader, established a dictatorship. Puritans sought a return to Christian roots by removing Catholic influence.
• The Glorious Revolution (1688): This bloodless revolution brought William III and Mary II of Orange to the throne, instituting a parliamentary monarchy.

Following the 1688 Revolution, England, and subsequently Great Britain, embarked on a path toward constitutionalism, becoming a model for the 18th-century Enlightenment. This era provided the scope for developing parliamentary legislation, which increasingly solidified rights and freedoms. From this foundation, criticism of religion emerged, reinforcing political liberalism, and empiricism became a dominant mode of thought, dedicated to empirical fact-finding and often rejecting purely rational or traditional approaches.

Influence of British Thinkers and Society

British intellectuals and illustrators significantly benefited from and contributed to spreading a message of tolerance, an ideology that deeply resonated with both the nobility and the burgeoning bourgeois class. They would confront ecclesiastical power, which exercised strong influence. However, when compared to the political, religious, and aristocratic privileges fought against by the French Enlightenment, the obstacles for British thinkers were considerably lower.

Sociocultural and Intellectual Framework

Key Scientific Advancements

Notable figures in science during this period include:

• John Dalton: Known for his atomic theory.
• James Watt: Improved the steam engine, crucial for the Industrial Revolution.
• Jean-Baptiste Lamarck: Proposed an early theory of evolution.
• Alessandro Volta: Invented the electric battery.

Isaac Newton formulated the universal law of gravitation through the experimental method. He also sought to transpose this law to the field of the mind, leading to the concept of the "law of association of ideas." Newton, along with John Locke's empiricism, served as a model and inspiration for Enlightenment thinkers.

These combined influences helped establish a doctrine based on objective observation. This approach served to oppose religious dogmatism and defend civil society through the application of reason.

Arts, Economics, and Philosophy

In the realm of music, prominent composers included George Frideric Handel and Johann Sebastian Bach. Literature saw the rise of authors like Daniel Defoe, famous for Robinson Crusoe. In economics, Adam Smith laid foundational principles.

While advocates of atheism emerged, the prevailing view accepted the usefulness of religion for the populace. Deism became dominant; it coincided with theistic doctrine in admitting the existence of a supreme being but differed by considering God's responsibility to be equipping the world with natural laws, rather than direct intervention. Concurrently, the extension of education to all citizens was strongly advocated.

These transformative ideas were widely discussed in classrooms, scientific societies, and disseminated through newspapers and magazines, fostering a vibrant intellectual environment.